The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to embodiments of the claimed subject matter.
A Wide Area Network (WAN) provides interconnectivity amongst many diverse networks. The “Internet” is a Wide Area Network that joins together many other networks, providing a communications path between devices operating within distinct and often geographically dispersed networks. A Local Area Network (LAN) enables multiple distinct devices within an end-user's premises to communicate amongst themselves locally. An end-user's LAN is often connected to the Internet via a WAN back-haul connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides the end-user consumer with Internet connectivity and Internet Bandwidth. Devices within the end-user's LAN may communicate with devices external to the LAN over the WAN back-haul connection provided by the end-user's ISP.
Traditionally, the WAN is controlled, managed and maintained by service providers, such as Internet Service Providers, Telecommunications Operators, etc. Conversely, a LAN is typically managed and maintained at a customer's premises by end users/customers, which may be residential users or commercial/business customers. Moreover, operators and service providers typically refrain from addressing any LAN related problems, notwithstanding the fact that, at times, some problems and issues exhibited via the LAN may be related to WAN configurations and settings. Correspondingly, some problems and issues exhibited via the WAN may be related to configurations, settings or problems on the LAN side. Furthermore, the WAN might be operated by a reseller, which does not have access to all management functionalities (such as monitoring, provisioning, control) to which the owner or the wholesaler of the WAN system may have access. Access to such functionalities may be achieved by the embodiments described herein. Moreover, the means of control, monitoring and provisioning, as well as control channels on the two networks, WAN and LAN, are typically distinct and separate, even when the WAN and the LAN are interconnected.
The present state of the art may benefit from systems and methods for jointly monitoring, provisioning and optimizing WAN and LAN network communications which are described herein.